Admittance
by Bookworm Believer
Summary: Start of 5th year. All of the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione spent the summer at the Burrow. Having spent time with all the Weasley's, Hermione grows close to one in particular and on her first night back at Hogwarts she reminisces about the summer and admits she has feelings for one Weasley.


**A/N: Tay here again! This is in response to Screaming Faeries' Ascend The Ladder Competition. Round one was 'Life's Little Things' and I chose to write on the moments around a crush before you admit you like them. Check out the competition if you get a chance. I hope you enjoy. I do not own anything.**

**SUMMARY: ****Start of 5th year. All of the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione spent the summer at the Burrow. Having spent time with all the Weasley's, Hermione grows close to one in particular and on her first night back at Hogwarts she reminisces about the summer and admits she has feelings for one Weasley.**

***HG*HG*HG*HG***

_'Finally!'_ Hermione thought to herself as she charmed her bed curtains to close and stay shut. She added the Silencio and Muffliato charms as an afterthought. She wasn't sure she wanted any of the other girls in her dorm hearing her tonight. Not that she was up to anything terribly bad, but she tended to talk aloud to herself when she was deep in thought and she didn't particularly want any of her thoughts broadcasted around the school through gossip. Which she knew her dorm mates were not against.

She sighed as she reclined against her pillows, which she had built up against her headboard. The bed was the perfect firmness -not too firm, but not too soft either- which she had always suspected was part of Hogwarts own magic. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes and began to delve into her thoughts.

*HG*HG*HG*HG*

_**FLASHBACK**_

She felt terribly left out. It was the first week of summer holidays, and all of the Weasley children (minus Percy) plus Harry and herself were out relaxing in the Burrow's vast stretch of grassy lawn that also doubled as the family's Quidditch pitch.

Somebody, she couldn't remember who, had proposed a scrimmage match between all of those present. Hermione spoke up her unwillingness as soon as it was mentioned.

"I don't fly. You all know that."

Harry and Ron shook their heads before Harry spoke up, "Come on Hermione, please? We need you, otherwise the teams will be uneven!"

Harry, Ron and Ginny were standing together, with Bill, Charlie, Fred and George standing slightly apart.

She shook her head more furiously, refusing to take part. They damn well knew that she had never flown before, and she was quite happy with that status. She ducked her head when Harry, Ron and Ginny started to pester her about joining. She was going to stick with what she was comfortable doing.

"Guys!" Charlie raised his voice to be heard over the others, "If she doesn't want to play, leave her be."

"What, are you going to sit out so the teams are even?" Ron smirked as Charlies face dropped slightly. Hermione saw the resolve strengthen in the attractive dragon-tamers eyes.

"Yes actually. Or if Hermione would like, I can help her learn to fly. But that is her choice, and hers only." Charlie leant his broom up against their makeshift broom shed and came to sit relatively close to Hermione. Hermione shot him a smile as the others started their game. Charlie didn't have to do that for her.

*HG*HG*HG*HG*

_**PRESENT**_

Hermione couldn't remember the last time someone had done something so...so sweet for her. Charlie loved Quidditch -he's been part of the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts- and he'd given up playing with his family for her.

Hermione reclined further into her pillows and delved back into her memories.

*HG*HG*HG*HG*

_**FLASHBACK**_

It was a few weeks through the holidays. Charlie had sat out of all the Quidditch scrimmage matches, except for one, when Ginny had been sick and unable to play. But even then, he had shot an apologetic at Hermione just before he'd flown off.

She wasn't sure why he would be sorry. Why wouldn't he want to play with his family? It's not like they even really spoke while sitting there; she always read and he alternated between reading and watching the matches. That had surprised Hermione, since she hadn't known that any of the Weasley men read for fun.

Regardless of their lack of conversation, Charlie's presence always comforted Hermione, and she definitely noticed the difference when he was actually playing with the others. And like she had at the beginning of the summer -before Charlie spoke up and sat out with her- she felt terribly left out.

She made the decision to talk to Charlie on her own later that night. Placing all thoughts out of her mind, she returned to reading her book in the pleasant midday sunshine.

*HG*HG*HG*HG*

(Still flashback, just time skip to that night)

It wasn't until right before she retired for the night that she finally had a moment to speak to Charlie.

"Charlie? May I ask you a question?" Despite her resolve to learn to fly, she was still hesitant about asking.

The attractive redhead looked up from the book in his lap in surprise. Hermione could clearly see that he hadn't expected her to approach him. He regained himself and motioned to the seat on the opposite side of the enlarged kitchen table.

"Of course Hermione, what can I do for you?" He marked his place in his book and rested his chin on his hand. His longer hair flew forward slightly at his motion, and a few strands fell over his forehead and eyes. Hermione wished she could reach out and brush the hairs away. She gasped and pushed the thought out of her mind, chastising herself for even daring to think anything like that.

"It's only quick, but I was hoping to take you up on your offer from the beginning of the summer. The flying lessons?" The words rushed out of her mouth, as she struggled to actually form her request in a polite way.

Charlie didn't answer, and Hermione kept her eyes locked on the wood of the table as the silence stretched on. They continued this way for a few moments, until Charlie cleared his throat, making Hermione look up at him.

"Hermione, I was under the impression that you had no intentions of ever flying on a broomstick."

Hermione's cheeks went red as she replied, "I don't, I mean I didn't. Not until this summer. I dislike feeling left out and having you feel the need to sit out with me. I just, I don't want Harry or Ron or the Twins to make fun of me when they see how terrible I am." Hermione rambled through her nervousness, gesturing with her hands as she spoke.

"Hermione, relax." Charlie grabbed her hands to keep them still and held them on the table in between them before continuing, "No-one will laugh at you, but if you wish then our lessons can stay between us."

Considering that suggestion for a moment, she nodded. Privacy would solve all the issues she had. Smiling, she thanked him and went to bed.

*HG*HG*HG*HG*

(Present Time)

Hermione smiled to herself as she thought about the lessons that followed. Charlie was a great teacher, and while she wasn't an advanced flier, she could handle a broom on her own. Charlie had promised to continue her lessons the next holidays they were at the Burrow together.

She couldn't wrap her mind around how sweet Charlie actually was. He came across as the 'bad-boy' because of his profession, but in reality he was very caring and supportive. Never once did he laugh at her attempts on the broom, and only ever gave suggestions to improve her form.

It wasn't until the morning that they returned to Hogwarts that she truly realised what had happened. All of the Weasley's, Harry and herself had travelled to the station, and while hugging the members of the family that weren't going to Hogwarts -including Charlie- she grasped how much she would miss Charlie.

He had whispered to her during the hug, asking if it was okay if he wrote her during the year and nodding slightly, Hermione had agreed.

Once the train had pulled away from the station, she pushed the thoughts away until now, in the privacy of her dorm and locked bed curtains. She recognised what had formed during the flying lessons of the summer...

She had a crush on Charlie Weasley. And all she could do was write him until the summer holidays. For the first time since she started at Hogwarts, she couldn't wait for summer.


End file.
